WINE, MUSIC AND MORE AT 8TH ANNUAL WINE ROCKS SEATTLE

Taste the wine, hear the music and help the cause at the 8th annual Wine Rocks Seattle, Thursday, July 9 at Elliott Hall & Pier (Bell Harbor – Pier 66). This yearly event includes 45 plus wineries, breweries and cideries pouring their best against sweeping views of the Seattle waterfront.

Music is the key feature of the event both inside the venue and on the pier. Four bands will take the stage inside the venue during the evening and include perennial favorites and newcomers. Three of the bands feature Washington winemakers and friends including Gordy Rawson of Chatter Creek Winery, Darren Des Voigne of Des Voigne Cellars and Karris Nicklaus of Michael Florentino Cellars. The headliner for the evening will be Seattle-based band the Timbre Barons. During breaks between performances DJ Dubreezy will be spinning tunes on the pier. Washington winemaker and music lover Trey Busch of Sleight of Hand Cellars in Walla Walla will serve as the event emcee for the first time this year.

Beyond the wine and music new elements will be in store for guests at this year’s Wine Rocks Seattle. These new event features include:

· Feast on offerings from six of Seattle’s hottest food trucks and light snacks from special food purveyors

“Wine Rocks Seattle has kicked up the music this year with DJ tunes outside on the Pier and new musical performances including Joyfield an Indie-alternative with powerful female vocals and intriguing instrumentals and the Timbre Barons an indie guitar rock band seen at the Tractor Tavern and played regularly on KEXP,” says Jamie Peha of Peha Promotions and producer of Wine Rocks Seattle. “The new Rhone Zone tasting bar, more food options and a killer mix of wineries, breweries and cideries help make Wine Rocks Seattle rock.”

This year Wine Rocks Seattle benefits the University District Food Bank. For 32 years, the University District Food Bank has helped prevent hunger in Northeast Seattle neighborhoods. Each week, from their walk-in food bank, more than 1,100 different families receive the groceries they need to prepare nutritionally balanced meals at home. University District Food Bank’s home delivery program reaches another 84 homebound seniors every week and their backpack program, at six nearby schools, provides 450 kids with healthy meals and snacks for the weekend when school meals aren’t available. They are consistently one of the busiest food banks in the City of Seattle.

Charles Koh founded EatSeattle, and has continued to use his expertise as editor-in-chief to guide the website’s growth over the last five years. Koh’s experience focuses on digital marketing and social media, and has been a part of several companies, some of which he created, specializing in both areas over the course of his career. Koh was previously with Google and Zagat where he helped expand and grow communities worldwide.